adj. & n.
adj. 1 light-hearted and carefree; mirthful. 2 characterized by cheerfulness or pleasure (a gay life). 3 brightly coloured; showy, brilliant (a gay scarf). 4 colloq. a homosexual. b intended for or used by homosexuals (a gay bar). °Generally informal in use, but favoured by homosexuals with ref. to themselves. 5 colloq. dissolute, immoral.
n. colloq. a homosexual, esp. male. Gay Liberation the advocacy of homosexuals' freedom from social discrimination. gayness n.
[ ME f. OF gai, of unkn. orig. ]